Has Your Aircraft Spares Inventory Reached Its Shelf Life?

August 2021

HAS YOUR AIRCRAFT SPARES INVENTORY REACHED ITS SHELF LIFE?

Time sometimes slips by faster than we realize.

And while it does, components that are sitting on shelves as serviceable are aging. Seals begin to harden and become brittle. The grease settles to the bottom of the bearings, leaving some of the bearing exposed with no lubricant. And electronic components become more likely to fail when shelved for long periods of time.

When you are pulling the component off the shelf for immediate use is not the time to find out the long shelf life contributed to its unexpected failure.

The periodic practice of function testing inventory components ensures they are still operable and serviceable over time. That fresh tag will give you confidence in the unit you are installing.  At the same time, aircraft parts brokers are able to sell the component with the confidence it is going to work when the operator installs it.

Often companies find themselves having "as removed" components that were operating perfectly when removed from the aircraft. However, the proof they were working and serviceable doesn't always exist. Sending these components to get a functional test, with an 8130-3 airworthiness release tag, is wise. It provides assurance the component will work when it is needed.

If your aircraft has experienced any flight inactivity over the last 18 months, we highly recommend a function test to prevent or limit component failures in the future.  

DUNCAN AVIATION FUNCTION TESTS

What happens if my unit doesn't pass the function test?

You have a couple of options:

1. We return the unit to you.
2. As a result of the function test, we evaluate and repair the unit for you.

We have authorized in-house repair capabilities on more than 52,000 different part numbers. Contact any Duncan Aviation Accessory Customer Account Representative to schedule your function test now.